ThrowbackThursday: Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 1967-1968

#ThrowbackThursday – In October 1967 the Shire of Eltham Historical Society was formed, which we celebrated with our 50th anniversary throughout last year. Coincidentally, 1967-1968 was also the beginning of much change around the centre of Eltham with the widening of Main Road and extensive road construction along Bible Street and Arthur Street. So whilst we are still in our 50th anniversary mood we will again today time travel back 50 years to visit a more quiet Bible street near the intersection of Arthur Street and then take a peek down the hill along Arthur Street at what is yet to come.

Here we are looking north along Bible Street towards the intersection with Arthur Street in 1967. It appears a storm has recently passed through, the sun is shining but the road is wet; leaves strewn across it. No roundabout of course, that would have come in the late 1980s and note the horse rider; you probably would not see that today with cars zooming along, bypassing Main Road as they weave around all the parked cars whose occupants have walked down the hill to catch the train. These were quieter times.

As we approach the intersection of Arthur Street we take a peek to the east, down to the right. It is now 1968. There is a new road surface and gutters and footpath but Arthur Street itself still only extends to the top of the hill, stopping at the future intersection of Doodson Court. Most of the houses in view have changed or gone.

The blue Valiant is parked outside what was no. 43, now part of a unit complex at no. 41. Immediately in front of the Valiant is no. 45, which has been a vacant block since before 1990. The gentleman in the hat holding a paper and walking up the hill is outside no. 39, now a unit complex and the old house on left is no. 37 (since replaced), which borders what is now the Walter Withers Reserve.

Note the other activity occurring in the picture. Apart from the gentleman walking up the hill, at the very bottom of the hill is a fellow mowing his lawn at no. 51 with his new Victa lawnmower (a classic today) and the spray of green grass clippings all over the road. And to the left of his property can be seen the pathway for pedestrian access linking Arthur Street to Lilian Parade. And up the hill in the distance outside no. 64 we see four children playing on the road. These were definitely quieter times.

Looking north along Bible Street approaching the intersection with Arthur Street, Eltham, Feb. 2014 (Google Street View Feb. 2014). Note that Google has not updated this view since February 2014 so the house at the north west corner of Bible and Arthur Street is still visible. It was sold in October 2015 for $1.26 million and demolished in 2016. The vacant block was sold in December 2017 with an asking price of $3 million.Looking east along Arthur Street from the intersection with Bible Street, Eltham, Feb. 2014 (Google Street View Feb. 2014)

Addendum: Recently the Eltham District Historical Society was very privileged to receive a donation of nearly 300 images from Fred Mitchell, an avid photographer who captured every day life in Melbourne and the district around his home in Eltham of more than forty years from the 1950s onward. The images showcased today are part of that collection and were also featured in Fred’s book, Retro Melbourne published in 2014 by New Holland Publishers Pty Ltd. We are very grateful to Fred for his generousity.

If like Fred Mitchell you have treasured images from Eltham and district of years gone by and would like to see them preserved for posterity, please consider making a donation to the Eltham District Historical Society. If you wish to hold on to your originals, we are happy to arrange a loan where we can undertake a high resolution archival quality scan from prints (or negatives if available) and then return the originals plus a digital copy. Please refer to our Donations page for more information.

50 Years 1967-2017

The Shire of Eltham: People living in the environment (c.1985)

This video was produced for the Shire of Eltham in response to the 1985 Victorian Local Government Commission Report titled ‘The
Restructure of Local Government in Victoria – Principles and Program’ (the Morris review). The recommendation was to amalgamate the Shires of Eltham and Diamond Valley, something that Eltham Council did not support as being appropriate for the shire or compatible with the ‘Spirit of Eltham’. The video features Shire President, Cr. Mary Grant talking with the Hon. Pauline Toner MP and Max McDonald MP. Eltham Shire CEO Rodney Roschellor presents an alternate proposal for a shire merging more aligned to the ‘Spirit of Eltham’.Also featured are Eltham icons such as the Eltham Railway Trestle Bridge, Montsalvat, Eltham Community Centre along with mudbrick making, artist Matcham Skipper, the Green Wedge and St Andrews Market. Other commentary is provided by locals Judy Wadham and Lester Eaton.

MAIN RD, ELTHAM, FEB. 1968 (HISTORYPIN)

Check out our collection of images of Main Road, Eltham between Bridge Street and Elsa Court which were taken in February 1968 just before duplication of the road. (Use the slider to fade from 1968 to current Google Streetview.)

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Our Society encourages interest in and the sharing of stories about the local history of the Eltham district in Victoria, Australia